1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a broadcast receiver such as a digital broadcast receiver that outputs broadcast audio.
2. Description of the Related Art
For example, if a hands-free phone is used in an automobile while TV broadcast or music broadcast is being viewed/listened to, the broadcast audio hinders a call conversation. Besides, there is a case in which a loudspeaker in the hands-free phone is used to output broadcast audio and a call voice. In consideration of these circumstances, techniques for automatically muting output of broadcast audio or attenuating the output volume of broadcast audio have already been realized (see, for instance, Jpn. Pat. Appln. KOKAI Publication No. 10-320892 or Jpn. Pat. Appln. KOKAI Publication No. 2003-263872).
In digital broadcast, there is a case where video information is accompanied with subtitle information. The display/non-display of the subtitle information can arbitrarily be set by the viewer/listener. The subtitle, in this context, refers to displayed characters representing contents of, e.g. conversations in programs.
If the display of subtitles is always set in the ON state, it is possible to understand the content of broadcast audio from the displayed subtitles, even if the output of broadcast audio is temporarily attenuated, as mentioned above. However, the subtitles are laid over a picture and make the picture a little difficult to view. Thus, in many cases, the display of subtitles is set in the OFF state.
If the output volume of broadcast audio is temporarily attenuated because of a phone conversion, as mentioned above, while the subtitles are being set in the OFF state, even a viewer/listener, who is not the person being engaged with the phone conversion, has difficulty in listening to the broadcast audio and is unable to easily understand the content of the broadcast audio.